Puzzle.



M. HINES.

PUZZLE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 7. 1915.

l 1 73,27 1 Patented Feb. 29, 1916.

WW 3 nvewtoz Q/ Q Martin Hines rm: COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH cm. WASHINGTON, n. c.

MARTIN HINES, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

PUZZLE.

Application filed December 7, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Mairrix Hinns, a citizen of the United States. and residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Puzzles, of which the following is a specification, such as will enable those skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to puzzles, and the object thereof is to provide an improved device of this class which is simple in construction and diiiicult of solution, but the solution of which may be accomplished by the exercise of care and skill in the manipulation of the device; a further object being to provide a device of the class specified which will serve as an amusement for both old and young; and with these and other objects in view the invention consists in a puzzle constructed, as hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification, of which the accompanying drawing forms a part, in which the separate parts of my improvement are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views, and in which Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved puzzle; and, Fig. 2 a central longitudinal section on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

In the practice of my invention, as shown in the drawing, I provide an oblong and rectangular boX ahaving a slide cover 5 which may be manipulated in the manner of other devices ofits class, and to the bottom of the box a at one end thereof is secured a transverse plate 0 which serves as a raised bottom portion. Arranged transversely of the bottom of the box a and nearer he plate 0 than the opposite end of said box is a fulcrum (Z on which is pivoted a board 6, and the end 6 of the board 6 is slightly longer than the end portion 6 whereby the end portion 6 of said board will normally rest in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2.

The board 6 is'pivoted to and on the fulcrum d in the construction shown by means of headed pins or nails 7 driven into the opposite sides of said board, and staples g driven into said fulcrum and through which the pins or nails 7" pass, but my invention is not limited to any particular Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 29, 1916.

Serial No. 65,494.

means for pivoting the board 6 in connection with the fulcrum (Z. The board a is provided with a central. longitudinal groove 6 provided, in the construction shown, with beveled side walls 6 and this groove opens through the end portion 0 of said board but is beveled outwardly at the end portion so that the bottom wall thereof is flush with the top surface of the plate 0 as shown at e. The board 6 is also provided, in the groove 6 with equally spaced recesses 6 e and c", the recess a being in transverse line with the pivotal supports of said board and the other recesses being adjacent to the opposite ends thereof, and said recesses are provided with concave bottoms and are adapted to receive balls 72/, three of which are employed.

The front side edge portions of the plate 0 are beveled backwardly as shown at n so as to permit the balls h to roll freely from the bottom of the box a onto said plate 0 in the manipulation of the device, as hereinafter described, but the top surfaces of the side portions of the board 0 at the end 6 thereof are flush with the top surface of the plate as shown at i, when said board 6 is in the position shown in full lines in Figs. 1 and 2.

The top surface of the bottom of the box a is smooth and even throughout and the balls h are free to roll thereover, and the solution of the puzzle consists in manipulating said box so as to lodge the three balls h in the recesses 6 0* and e in the bottom of the groove 8* of the board 0. This solution is very diiiicult, in view of the fact, that said board is free to swing on the fulcrum cl and the further fact that the end portion 0 of the board is slightly heavier than the opposite end portion, and when the boX is held horizontally, or placed on a support of any kind, the normal position of the board 6 is that shown in full lines in Figs. 1 and 2.

In the solution of the puzzle, the box is manipulated so as to roll one of the balls into the recess 6 another into the recess e and the third into the end of the groove 6 of the board 6 adjacent to the plate 0, after which the box is further manipulated so as to roll the ball in the recess 0 into the recess 6 and the ball in the recess a into the recess 6 and the ball in the end of the groove 6* adjacent to the plate 0 into the recess c". This solution is difiicult, especially to a beginner, but may be accomplished by the exercise of care and skill and after experience in connection with the manipulation of the box for the purpose of solving the puzzle, as above set out, the said solution becomes quite simple.

The solution of the puzzle is not limited to the exact method of manipulating the box hereinbefore described, and other methods may be adopted, nor is the invention limited to the exact details of C01]. struction herein shown and described. The bottom of the box on which the plate (2 is placed may be raised in any way, and the box may be of other forms, and the board 6 may be pivoted in said box in any desired manner, and other changes in and modifications of the details of construction herein shown and described, including those of the box and its cover may be made, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of my invention, or sacrificing its advantages.

Having fully described my intention, what I claim as no and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A puzzle, comprising a box, the bottom of which at one end thereof is raised, a board pivoted between the raised portion of the bottom and the opposite end portion of the box, and the end of which adjacent to the raised portion of the bottom of the box is slightly heavier than the opposite end portion, said board being provided with a central longitudinal groove in the bottom of which are a plurality of recesses adapted to receive a corresponding number of balls placed in said box.

A puzzle device of the class described, comprising an oblong rectangular box one end portion of the bottom of which is raised, and a board pivoted transversely of said box between the raised end of the bottom and the opposite end portion of the box, the end portion of said board adjacent to the raised bottom of the box being slightly heavier than the opposite end portion, and

said board being provided in the top surface thereof with a longitudinal groove in the bottom of which are equally spaced recesses, one of which isin transverse line with the pivotal supports of said board.

3. A puzzle device of the class described, comprising an oblong rectangular box one end portion of the bottom of which is raised, a board pivoted transversely of said box between the aised end of the bottom and the opposite end of the box, the end portion of said board adjacent to the raised bottom of the box being slightly heavier than the opposite end portion, and said board being provided in the top surface thereof with a longitudinal groove in the bottom of which are equally spaced recesses, one of which is in transverse line with the pivotal supports of said board, and a plurality of balls placed in said box.

l. A puzzle, comprising a box, the bottom of which is provided with a raised portion, a member pivoted in said box and adapted to operate in connection with said raised portion, and said member being provided in the top face thereof with a groove and recesses in connection with which a plurality of spherical members are adapted to operate.

A puzzle comprising a box the bottom of which is provided with a raised portion, a member pivoted in said box and adapted to operate in connection with said raised portion, said member being provided in the top face thereof with a groove in which is formed a plurality of recesses adapted to receive a corresponding number of balls placed in said box. 7

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name in presence of the subscribing witnesses this 8rd day of December, 1915.

MARTIN HIN ES.

lVitnesses C. MULREANY, H. E. THOMPSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

